1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to packaging for light bulbs and, in particular, for reflector lamps such as sealed beam automotive headlamps and other similarly shaped articles which have a broad face and tapered body.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Automotive sealed beam headlamps are currently packaged in cartons of square or rectangular cuboidal shape, as illustrated in FIG. 1. The usual flaps and locking tabs are not illustrated for clarity. These headlamps have a broad face at the front lens 40, which is either of circular or rectangular shape. The lamps have a glass reflector 41 extending from the lens which is tapered, i.e. of continuously reducing cross section, due to the generally parabolic shape of the reflector. Lamp connection terminals 42 are provided at the distal end of the reflector, which is of substantially smaller cross-section than the lens at the front of the lamp. The lamps can be considered to have height and width dimensions corresponding to the short 43 and long 44 sides of the rectangular lens face and a depth dimension 45 extending from the front of the lens face to the rear of the connection terminals. The lamp is typically positioned in the carton with the lens 40 against a front panel 46 of the carton, which is generally of about the same size as the lens. The opposing, rear panel 47 is of identical size as the front panel. The panels 48,49,50,51 have one dimension which corresponds to the depth dimension 45 and an other dimension which corresponds to either the height 43 or width 44 of the lens.
This common, regular shape provides a carton which may be readily assembled, is packable in an outer shipping container in a regular arrangement, i.e. without empty spaces between adjacent cartons, and provides stable stacking on a retail shelf. The known cartons are very inefficient, however, with respect to paperboard usage, packing volume and plan-o-gram space utilization. Because of the irregular tapered shape of the headlamps, the volume enclosed by the carton is substantially greater than the volume enclosed by the headlamps. The planform, or footprint, of the package on the shelf, typically with the lens oriented normal to the shelf with its long side parallel thereto, is also larger than necessary. The latter is a significant disadvantage because suppliers of retail products typically must pay for shelf space at retail establishments. For a given size shelf, excess package volume and planform reduces the amount of products which can be displayed. Additionally, larger package volume typically increases shipping costs because it limits the number of products which can be packed in a standard shipping case shipped, for example, within a tractor-trailer truck.